Apparatus for forming hollow glass articles



April 1946- 0'. H. sAMuELsoN ET AL 2,398,465

APPARATUS FOR FORMING HOLLOW GLASS ARTICLES Original Filed July 11, 19422 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 07m H. SAMUELSO/Y ANT/10m I ZAPP/A 7m? Was/61 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 16, 1946 APPARATUS FOR FORMING noLLow GLASSARTICLES Otto H. Samuelson, Muncie, and Anthony T. Zappia, Indianapolis,Ind., assignors to S. & Z. Manufacturing Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Original application July 11, 1942, SerialNo. 450,538. Divided and this application May 10,

1943, Serial No. 486,360

Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for molding hollow glasscontainers.

In our co-pending application Serial No. 450,538, filed July 11, 1942(resulting in United States Letters Patent No. 2,363,999), of which thispresent application is a division, we have described a method of moldinghollow glass containers, wherein there is delivered to the molddifferential pressures for the purpose of shaping the container in themold and for the purpose of more rapidly cooling the formed article orcontainer while in the mold.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide anapparatus for expeditiously carrying out said method and to improve thepresent type of container molding apparatus to permit a more rapidforming of hollow glass containers.

For the purpose of disclosing our invention, we have illustrated in theaccompanying drawings a molding machine, or so much thereof as isnecessary for the understanding of our invention, and in these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of so much of a molding machine as is necessaryfor the understanding of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the blow head; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are disassociated views of the valve for controlling theadmission of air to the mold.

In the embodiment of the invention, the machine, as a whole, is ofstandard construction and, therefore, need only be describedsufllciently for the purpose of understanding our invention. Thismachine, as is usual in the commercial type of machine, is provided witha central standard I, preferably hollow, about which rotates a head 2surrounding the standard, which headcarries a plurality of molds 4which, during their rotation, are adapted, at one stage, to open toreceive the blank and then close for the purpose of receivin air, underpressure, to expand the blank into the mold. The mold is, of course,formed of two sections and the two sections are so shaped as to impartthe necessary configuration to the bottle or other container. After thetwo sections of the mold have been closed, with the blank containedtherein, a blow head 5 is lowered on top of the mold in order to admitair under pressure to the interior of the mold. In the specificillustration shown. the blank deposited in the mold has already had thebottle neck formed therein and,

as a matter of fact. this bottle neck projects above the top of the moldproper but is closed by the blow head.

More specifically, this blow head includes a head proper 6 having ahollow recess 1 provided on its side walls with an annular groove 8 andhaving an inner liner 9 provided with ports Ill. The ports I 0 in thisliner coincide with the groove 8 and provide, in eii'ect, air nozzlesfor directing streams of air against the neck to of a bottle blank whichprojects above the mold proper. The head is preferably detachablymounted from a stem II which stem is threaded through a supporting nutl2 which nut is carried at the outer end of the arm I 3. Due to thethread and nut arrangement, the vertical position of the blow headrelatively to the top of the mold may be adjusted. At theupper end ofthe stem II is a threaded extension it which receives a hollow collarll. having an annular groove I6 therein coinciding with air openings I 5in the stem I4.

Above the stem I4 is mounted a T-coupling l8 5 into which is threaded anipple l9 smaller in diameter, except at the threaded point, than theT-coupling. The lower end 20 ofthis nipple is tapered and seats on thetop of the stem l4, thereby effectually sealing the top of the stem.This nipple carries a downwardly extending air pipe 2| which extendsclear through the stem H and projects beyond the end of a head 5 so thatwhen the head is at the sealing engagement with the mold 4, the pipe 2|will project into the blank through the neck of the blank. This nippleI9 is provided with inlet ports 22 so that any air which is admitted tothe body of the T-coupling I8 will pass through these ports into thenipple and through the nipple and pipe 2| into the bottle. At the pointthat the pipe 2| passes through the head 6, the opening 23 is enlargedand this enlarged opening communicates with' the interior of the stem llso that the air passing down through the pipe 2| and into the bottle maythen flow out through the stem ll around the pipe 2| and through theports or openings l5. We thus provide two channels for the passage ofthe air. One is the inlet channel through the pipe 2| and the other isthe outlet channel through the stem l l.

The arm l3 for the supporting nut I2 is carried on a suitablereciprocating support 24 and, by means of a reciprocation of thissupport, the raising and lowering of the blow head relative to the mold4 is accomplished in proper time relation.

The air or other blowing medium is supplied through the medium of aconduit 25 formed within the standard I which conduit is connected witha suitable air compressor or other source of air supply. .The lower endof this conduit communicates through an opening 26 with an annulargroove 21 in the exterior of the standard I. Surrounding this groove isan annular air box collar 28 having suitable openings 29 thereincommunieating. with the groove 21 and receiving suitable piping 30,which provides conveying means for conveying the air to the blow heads.This air is conveyed to each blow head through the medium of suitablecontrol valve 3|, one for each blow head, which controls the admissionof the air I to the blow head controlled thereby.

The purpose of this valve 3| is to, first, admit what may be termedblowing pressure to the mold. This pressure is sufficient to expand theblank in the mold to cause the blank to conform to the shape of themold, in other words, t blow the bottle, and; two, to momentarily closethe mold against the escape of this blowing pressure and hold thisblowing pressure in the mold until the bottle has been properly shaped,and then open the mold to the atmosphere and, at the same time, admitair to the mold under relatively higher pressure which results in theair passing through the container at a relatively high velocity torapidly blow out the heated blowing air or pressure and admit to themold a free flowing stream of air which has a tendency to rapidly coolthe bottle, thus preventing the sagging of the walls of the bottle andinsuring a perfectl formed bottle when the same is delivered from themold and to do this in a comparatively short time.

The air supply admitted through the supply.

pipe 25 is admitted to this supply pipe at the maximum pressure desired.Before the blowing air is admitted to the mold, it passes through asuitable reducing valve 32 which reduces the air pressure to thepredetermined blowing pressure, and this reduced pressure is suppliedthrough a suitable flexible conduit 33 to inlet port 34 formed in thebody or casing 35 of the valve 3 I. This port 34 communicates with the.interior of the valve body and provides for the inlet of the pressureair.

In addition to the inlet port 34, the valve body is provided with asecond inlet port 36 which isadapted to be connected by the flexibleconduit 37 with the air supply but beyond the reducing valve, so thatthe pressure admitted through the port 36 is considerabl higher than thepressure admitted through the port 34. An outlet port 38 is provided inthe valve casing, which port is connected by a flexible conduit 39 witha pipe 40 leading to the stem of the T-coupling l8 so that this portcommunicates with the air inlet pipe 2| of the blow head. In addition tothe above described ports, we provide in the valve body port 4| which isconnected by the flexible cendur. 42 and the pipe 43 with the collarAlso in the valve body, we provide an air escape port 44 which leads tothe atmosphere. A branch conduit 40a leads from the conduit 48 to thegroove 8.

These various ports are controlled by a rotary valve member 45 whichfits within the central opening 46 of the valve body (it beingunderstood that all of the ports heretofore described communicate withthis central opening 46), and is supported from an operating head 4'!resting upon the top of the valve body and carrying a cam roller 48.This valve 45 is provided, onits face on one side, with an annulargroove 49 which is intersected by a vertical groove 58. On its op-Dosite side the valve 49 is provided with a vertica groove 5|. Thesegrooves, in the face of the valve 45, are so disposed that when thevalve is in what may be termed its initial position, the grooves 49 and5!) connect the inlet port 34, which, it will be remembered, is theblowing pressure port, with the port 38, which port in turn is connectedwith the T-coupling l8. Therefore blowing pressure is admitted to theblow head, which pressure, it will be remembered-is taken through areducing valve 32, through the conduit 33 and the port 34 to the groove49. The blowing pressure passes around the groove 49 and as this groove,with the valve in the initial position, is also in register with theport 38, the blowing pressure air passes out through the port 38 by theway of the conduit 39 and the pipe 48 to the T-coupling l8 and thencethrough the pipe 2| to the interior of the mold. With the valve 45 in itinitial position, the vertical groove 5| is out of register with theports 4| and 44 so that there is no chance for the air pressure, whichis admitted to the mold, to escape. Therefore, the air pressure ismomentarily or until the next stage of the valve is reached, held in themold. This air pressure has a tendency to increase in the blank due tothe fact that the mold blank, at this period, i extremely hot and theair within the mold blank and within the mold becomes extremely heated,thereby expanding the air and considerably raising the pressure of theair in the mold. However, this increased pressure, together with theinitial pressure adapted to be admitted for blowing, the bottle, isnicely calculated, so that the blowing pressure will not, during theshort period it is held there, become too great. As the valve moves toits next position, the valve member 45 is rotated, placing the verticalslot 50 in communication with the port 36 and, out of communication withport 38. At the same time, the vertical slot 5| is placed incommunication with ports 4| and 44. The slot 44, however, is still inregister with the port 38. Therefore, under these circumstances, we havea high pressure or high velocity air coming through the conduit 31,through port 36, through the vertical groove 58 and the groove 49 toport 38 and thence, by conduit 39, to the T-coupling l8 and pipe 2| tothe interior of the bottle. At the same time, however, it is to be notedthat the groove 5|, having placed port 4| and 44 into communication withone another and the port 4| being connected to the collar ll, theinterior of the stem II is connected to the atmosphere by an openingwhich is equalivent in area to the inlet opening. Therefore, a stream ofair under high velocity as the result of the increased pressure, isdelivered through the bottle and this higher velocity air travelingthrough the bottle, unobstructedly, will not only drive out the blowingair, heretofore admitted to, the bottle, but will deliver through thebottle a cooling stream of air, quickly cooling the bottle andmaterially assisting in rapidly setting the bottle;

on the next stage of operation of the valve, the valve 45 is rotateduntil all of the ports are out of communication and closed against inletof air of any kind, and this constitutes the third stage of the valvewhich continues until the structure is rotated to begin the initialstage of procedure, as above described.

In addition to the above connection, it is to.

received within the recess of the blow head, thus providing means foreffectually cooling the neck or the bottle at the same time that theinterior or the bottle is cooled.

For properly rotating the valve 45 into its respective positionscorresponding to the three stages of operation, I provide a pair of cams52 and 53, the'cam 52 being adapted to engage the roller 48 for rotatingthe valve 45 in a counterclockwise direction to its initial position forthe admission of blowing pressure to the mold. The continued rotation ofthe mold and blowing head causes the roller 48 to next strike thecam-'53 which still further rotates the valve 45 in a counter clockwisedirection to its second stage wherein the cooling air is admitted to themold a blowing mold carried thereby adapted to rotate in a substantiallyhorizontal plane and adapted to receive a glass-blank for blowing, ablow head carried by said support and rotating with said and eventuallyan arm 54 on the head 4'| of the valve strikes a stationary roller 55which rotates the valve 45 in a clockwise direction and to its closedposition.

It is thus seen that the blowing pressure is admitted to the mold for acomparatively short time and that the cooling pressure is admitted tothe mold for a comparatively long period. The earns 52 and 53 and theroller 55 are stationarily mounted so as to be struck by the roller 48during the rotation of the head, but each cam and roller is adjustableto permit a nice timing of the parts.

We have found, from experience, that very eflective results have beenproduced in the operation oi the machine heretofore described and incarrying out of the method heretofore described in molding, for example.a pint flask with rather sharp angles and corners, that an air pressureof substantially twenty pounds is suf- 1 flcient for the blowingpressure and that thereafter air under pressure of thirty-five to fortypounds can be admitted or circulated through the molded flask for thepurpose of cooling the same and that in articles of simplerconfiguration such, for instance, as a round gallon glass container, sixpounds of pressure admitted for the purpose of blowing is sufflcient anda cooling pressure of thirty-five to forty pounds is effective forproperly cooling the container after the same has been shaped in themold under the blowing pressure.

We hav also found that steam under pressure can be used effectively forblowing and for cooling purpose.

We claim as our invention:

1. In an apparatus for forming hollow glass containers, in combination,a blowing mold adapted to receive a glass blank for blowing, a blow headassociated with said mold and movable relatively to said mold tosealingly engage the top of said mold, after the same has received its.

blank, said head having a fluid pressure inlet passage and a fluidpressure outlet passage communicating with the interior of the mold, acontrol valve, means for connecting the same with a source 01'relatively low fluid pressure and a source of relatively high fluidpressure, said control valve having an escape port, connections betweensaid valve and said blow head including a connection between said valveand said inlet passage in the blow head and a connection between saidvalve and the outlet passage of said blow head, a valve memberassociated with said control valve having fluid passages therein forconnecting the inlet passage of said blow head through said valve withsaid low pressure source mold and sealingly engaging the top of saidmold, after it has received its blank, said blow head having a fluidpressure inlet passage and a fluid pressure outlet passage communicatingwith the interior of the mold, a source of relatively low fluid pressureand a source of relatively high fluid pressure, means interposed betweensaid blow head and said source of relatively low fluid pressur and saidsource of relatively high fluid pressure, controlling the admission ofsaid pressures to said fluid pressure inlet passage in said blow head,said means also controlling said outlet passage in said blow head, andmeans associated with said support operating said first mentioned means,to connect said inlet passage in the blow head with the source ofrelatively low pressure fluid supply and simultaneously close saidoutlet passage and operated by a continued rotation of said mold andhead in their horizontal planes to operate said first mentioned means toconnect said inlet passage of said blow head with said source ofrelatively high pressure and to simultaneously connect said outletpassage in said blow head with an opening to the atmosphere.

3. In' an apparatus for forming hollow glass containers, in combination,a rotating support, a blowing mold carried thereby and rotating in asubstantially horizontal plane and adapted to receive a glass blank forblowing, a blow head carried by said support rotating with said mold ina horizontal plane and movable relatively to said mold to sealinglyengage the top or said mold, after the same has received its blank, saidblow head having a, fluid pressure inlet passage and a fluid pressureoutlet passage communicating' with the interior of said mold, a sourceof relatively low fluid pressure and a source of relatively high fluidpressure, a valve interposed between said blow head and said sources offluid pressure having means for controlling the admission of fluidpressures from said sources and controlling the escape of fluid pressurethrough said blow head from said mold, and means associated with saidsupport and operable during the movement of said head and mold tooperate said valve to connect said inlet passage in the blow head withsaid source of relatively low fluid pressure and to simultaneously sealsaid outlet passage in said blow head, said means being further operableduring the'movement of said mold to so operate said valve as to connectsaid inlet passage with I said source of relatively highpressurefluidsupply and said high pressure source and for connecting said outletpassage in the blow head with said valve escape port, and meansassociated with said and to simultaneously open said outlet passage insaid blow head to the atmosphere.

4. In an apparatus for forming hollow glass containers, in combination,a rotating support, a blowing mold adapted to receive a glass blank forblowing carried by said support and rotating therewith in asubstantially horizontal plane, a

blow head associated with said mold and'movable relatively to said moldto sealingly engage the top of said mold, after the samehas received itsblank, and having a fluid pressure inlet passage and a fluid pressureoutlet passage communicating with the interior of the mold, a source ofrelatively high fluid pressure and a source of relatively low fluidpressure; valve means interposed between said blow head and said sourceof low fluid pressure and said source of high fluid pressure, said valvemeans including means for controlling the admission of fluid pressurefrom said sources to said inlet passage in said blow head,

-and for controlling the escape of fluid pressure from said mold throughsaid outlet passage in said blow head, means associated with saidsupport for actuating said valve pressure controlling means to placesaid inlet passage in communication with said source of relatively lowfluid pressure and to simultaneously seal the outlet passage of saidblow head and actuating means associated with said support for actuatingsaid valve pressure controlling means to place said inlet passage insaid blow head in communication with said source of relatively highpressure and to simultaneously open said outlet passage in said blowhead to the atmosphere.

5. A control mechanism for glassware forming machines comprising amovable mold carriage, forming molds thereon, a source of low fluid pressure and a source of high fluid pressure and means associated with eachof said forming molds and introducing fluid under pressure to said moldand blowing the glass in the mold to a predetermined form and coolingthe same, said control mechanism comprising valve means interposedbetween said source of low fluid pressureand said source of high fluidpressure and each of said fluid introducing means, controlling theadmission of fluid to said introducing means, said valve means includingmeans for connecting said introducing means with said source ofrelatively low fluid pressure, and means for simultaneously sealing themold against the escape of fluid and means for connecting saidintroducing means with said source of relatively high pressure and meansfor simultaneously opening said molds to the atmosphere, means foroperating each oi! said valve means, to connect said introducing meansto the mold to said source of low fluid pressure. and to simultaneouslyseal said mold against the escape of fluid pressure therefrom and meansto operate said valve means for connecting said mold introducing meanswith said source of high fluid pressure and to simultaneously open saidmold to the atmosphere to permit the escape of air from said mold.

6. A blowing mechanism for glassware forming machines having a rotatablemold carriage with a series of forming molds thereon, and a source ofrelatively high fluid pressure and a source of relatively low fluidpressure, said mechanism comprising means, individual to each of saidmolds and travelling therewith, for admitting fluid under pressure tothe respective molds for blowing the glass therein and cooling the same,valve means associated with each of said fluid admitting means andmovable therewith and interposed between said fluid sources and saidfluid admitting means, said valve means including means for controllingthe admission of fluid pressure to the respective molds through saidfluid admitting means and means for sealing said molds against theescape of fluid pressure,

relatively stationary operating means for successively operating saidvalve means positioned in the path of said valve means and actuatingsaid valve means for causing said valve admission controlling means toconnect said fluid admitting means with a source of relatively lowpressure fluid supply and for causing said valve sealing means tosimultaneously seal said mold against the escape of fluid, and secondactuating means associated with said valve means and positioned in thepath of said valve means for actuating said valve admission controllingmeans to cause the same to connect said fluid admitting means with asource of relatively high fluid pressure supply, and to simultaneouslyoperate said valve sealing means to open said mold to the atmosphere topermit the escape of relatively high fluid pressure.

OTTO H. SAMUELSON. ANTHONY T. ZAPPIA.

